Chapter 1. Cisco Certification Exams

Terms you'll need to understand:

• Radio button

• Check box

• Multiple-choice

• Simulations

Techniques you'll need to master:

• Assessing your exam readiness

• Preparing to take a certification exam

• Familiarizing yourself with exam layouts

• Mastering the different exam formats

• Guessing strategies

You are starting to sweat, your hands are shaking, and you are pacing all around the room. When it comes close to test time, it is not uncommon to cycle through every nervous habit you have. But how can you determine when you are ready for the exam? Chances are, nobody ever really feels 100% ready to take an exam. There is always some hesitation that looms over and taunts us that there is something that will surprise us on the exam. After reading the material in this book, you should have built up your confidence level to a point where you can come up with the goods for the test.

It is important to note that it is sometimes not enough to know the materials for the test. It also takes good test-taking practices as well as mental preparation and strategies. This chapter introduces the formats that you will encounter and how you can master any question they throw at you.